Starting with saving Manchester United

Yang Fan is truly a complete newbie!

So, he's only good at talking.

Once the strategy is clear, how do we formulate specific tactics? How do we assign the roles of the players on the field?

How should the training be designed for the next few days?

Yang Fan doesn't need to be involved in any of these things.

This is the coaching staff's job.

Since it was the first time the five players had participated in a pre-match brainstorming session, they should naturally be given more opportunities to participate.

Therefore, Yang Fan asked them to give their opinions at the end.

Let them try to see things from the players' perspective, what areas need adjustment, and what areas might have problems.

The five players responded enthusiastically in response to similar reactions.

Yang Fan reformed Manchester United's training system, and its advantages are gradually becoming apparent.

Just like right now.

When Moyes was coaching, he emphasized treating everyone equally and fairly.

The match is on Saturday noon, so Sunday morning is for recovery training.

But now?

Yang Fan adopted a targeted training approach, making specific arrangements based on the individual circumstances of each player.

Therefore, tomorrow morning's training sessions will be separate.

Yang Fan and the coaching staff originally planned their training according to the schedule of one game per week, specifically for the Camp Nou match next Wednesday.

Except for the players participating in Saturday's game, everything else proceeds as usual.

This wouldn't have worked before.

It cannot be solved simply by saying it's a manpower issue, nor is it as simple as just training people separately.

It's like Yang Fan having 5 players participate in pre-match preparations.

……

"Won't this cause any problems?"

After the brainstorming session, all that was left was some finishing touches, and all five players left.

Only the core coaching staff remained in the meeting room.

Mike Phelan was somewhat worried.

"What's wrong? Are you worried that the five of them will leak information?" Yang Fan asked casually.

These five players are all key members of Manchester United. If they all have problems, then Manchester United might as well not play.

"It's unlikely to be a leak, but there's no precedent for players participating in pre-match preparations. The division of labor between the coaching staff and the players is quite different, and there are some things we should avoid."

Yang Fan nodded slightly.

Is there any truth to what Mike Phelan said?

A little, but not much.

When it comes to professional football knowledge, Yang Fan is definitely an outsider, a complete novice.

But when it comes to corporate management, that's Yang Fan's domain.

"Mike, what do you think a head coach is?"

Everyone in the conference room fell silent.

Mike Phelan was completely bewildered. "What do you mean?"

That's too broad a question.

"In Europe, the head coach is called Coach or Head Coach, but in the UK, the head coach is called Manager."

This is common knowledge.

"But what I'm curious about is, putting aside these titles, in Europe or the UK, do you think a head coach is a leader or an employee?"

Mike Phelan, Steve Lund, and others immediately fell into thought.

"Look at it this way: Wenger is the manager, but how much power does he have? Mourinho is the manager, but how much power does he have? At Barcelona, ​​Guardiola was the coach, but how much power did he have?"

"Names don't matter, power matters!"

"As long as you have enough power, even Aunt Cass at the front desk downstairs can become a leader."

This is not difficult to understand.

Mike Phelan understood after a moment's thought, and was about to say something when Yang Fan asked another question.

"How much power does one need to be considered a leader?"

"As English managers, wasn't Ferguson a leader? Weren't Wenger and Mourinho leaders?"

"At Manchester United, was Moyes considered a leader?"

Yang Fan's questions became increasingly pointed and in-depth.

Not to mention Mike Phelan, even Steve Lund and others had never thought about this aspect before.

Yes, how much power does one need to be considered a leader?

"Let's talk behind closed doors. Look at what's been happening lately. John Murtaugh is a leader, right? Do the heads of departments like Carrington listen to him?"

"If you're going to listen, then why did you ultimately bring Ed Woodward over?"

"If I don't listen, he's clearly the boss!"

This was clearly beyond the scope of what Mike Phelan and Steve Lund, who had dedicated their lives to football, could do.

Yang Fan genuinely felt that the corporate management of football clubs was extremely poor!

"What is a leader?"

"A leader is someone who can decide whether their subordinates stay or leave, whose subordinates' income is high or low, and whose subordinates' promotions are made!"

It's the same old routine: a leader has to manage both personnel and finance.

"John Motav didn't, so even if he was the leader, nobody listened to him except Woodward."

"Ferguson has it. His position, his contract, even David Gill and Woodward can't decide it, so the two of them can only appease Ferguson and give in to him in everything."

"Ferguson could decide a player's fate and salary with a single sentence, so he was the true leader."

"Moyes has nothing, so what kind of leader is he?"

"I'm in an even worse situation. I don't even have a formal coaching contract, so I'm definitely not a leader."

In his previous life, Yang Fan had seen plenty of those petty leaders who wielded their authority like a tyrant, unable to even decide on an outstanding employee award, yet arrogantly demanding that everyone work for them.

Do you really think you have the aura of a king?

"Be clear about your position. We are not leaders, so we cannot play the role of leaders."

"I'm just a small contractor. My job is different from the players'. We need to cooperate with each other. My task is to help the players perform better on the field."

"Sometimes, we even have to coax the players; otherwise, why should they do things our way?"

How did Moyes step down?

Did the player never think of getting rid of him?

How did Chelsea's players take down Villas-Boas?

Was Mourinho really not ousted by the players at Real Madrid?

In the eyes of true club leaders, between the locker room and the head coach, they always choose the locker room.

Without the slightest hesitation!

"Mike, you need to understand, we are the disadvantaged group!" Yang Fan slapped Mike Ferran on the shoulder and said earnestly.

Mike Phelan, Steve Lund, and the others were all dumbfounded.

When Yang Fan analyzed the power game within Manchester United from a workplace perspective, they suddenly realized that they had never truly understood Manchester United or its manager.

I'm the newbie!

It took Mike Phelan, Steve Lund, and others a long time to recover from their shock.

The look in his eyes when he looked at Yang Fan again immediately showed even more respect.

"I understand." Mike Phelan nodded obediently.

Yang Fan didn't want to overly damage the morale and confidence of the core team; he just hoped they could understand their current situation.

In Yang Fan's previous life, many veteran head coaches had increasingly poor team performances and frequent locker room problems, which stemmed from their own failure to understand the situation.

With the rise of the post-90s and post-00s generations, management methods and approaches must change accordingly.

The old ways don't work anymore!

Of course, it's easier said than done.

"Alright, you don't need to worry about these things. I'll take care of them. You just focus on doing your jobs."

Mike Phelan and the others all nodded.

It was only at this moment that Yang Fan truly saw awe and obedience in their eyes.

……

The next morning, before training, the Manchester United dressing room was noisy.

"Really? That rookie's understanding of football tactics is really that strong?"

"You know what, I really think this newbie is no ordinary newbie."

"Bullshit, how could an average rookie lead a team to four consecutive wins?"

"I also find it strange, but talking to him always feels particularly exciting and interesting!"

"It's more than just interesting. Look at his actions. I don't know what others think, but I think they're pretty good."

"I think it's great too."

"Sometimes I really wonder if he truly doesn't understand football? Watching him direct a game, it's like he can instantly know what I'm thinking and make immediate adjustments. It's truly amazing!"

"Yes, yes, yes, back when the old sir was around, some substitutions were also brilliant, but none were as timely as his."

"His greatest strength is that he understands us and thinks the same way we do!"

"Yes, that's important."

"Anyway, the more I look at him, the more pleasing he seems to me, and the more I admire him."

The players chatted amongst themselves, creating a lively atmosphere in the locker room.

Giggs sat to the side listening silently, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Why do it seem like the Manchester United players in the locker room are getting more and more well-behaved?

Where has the fighting spirit of going against Moyes gone?

"Michael, did you guys really participate in the coaching staff's pre-game preparations yesterday?" Ashley Young asked Carrick curiously.

A moment of silence fell over the locker room.

Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

Carrick nodded solemnly. "The arrangement of the coach training course."

The England midfielder noticed that many of his teammates looked on with envy after hearing this.

This gave him a sense of accomplishment.

"Is that rookie head coach really that amazing?"

Carrick glanced at his teammates and nodded, saying, "His understanding of football tactics is truly unique and incredibly sharp. His ideas are highly feasible, giving me confidence for next Wednesday's game!"

An uproar immediately erupted in the locker room.

If someone else had said that, many people would probably have been skeptical.

But the person who said this was Carrick, a well-known honest man.

"What do you think? Even Michael said so, so I think we might have a chance in next Wednesday's game," Ferdinand chimed in.

He's the one who "leaked" the information about attending the pre-match preparation meeting last night.

The players became even more curious and started asking questions.

However, the five people attending the meeting tacitly refrained from revealing more tactical details, instead emphasizing the special qualities of interim head coach Yang Fan and their confidence in next Wednesday's match.

If it weren't for that four-game winning streak, that incredible comeback against Olympiacos, and that victory over Manchester City, no one would believe what Carrick, Ferdinand, and others are saying now.

But now, the tangible results speak for themselves, and the team has changed.

Everyone believed it!

The thought that the head coach already had a strategy to deal with the opponent swept away all the negative emotions that the Manchester United players had been feeling anxious about facing Barcelona.

Instead, there is anticipation!

What if a miracle really happens at Camp Nou?

Just like the Champions League final in 1999.

However, after the discussion, team captain Vidic also stepped forward and asked all players to keep the matter strictly confidential.

"I am not worried about facing the media; I trust everyone's professional ethics."

"But when facing family, friends, agents, and even girlfriends..."

"I hope everyone will take this seriously and be careful with their words."

"We've had a terrible season already, and now that we're finally seeing some improvement, I'm sure none of you here want this positive momentum to be ruined, right?"

Everyone immediately nodded in agreement.

With the team's improved performance, everyone gained confidence and expectations, and naturally became more cautious.

But for some reason, everyone's eyes turned to Giggs, who was standing to the side.

This gave Giggs a jolt.

No, why are you all staring at me like that?

What does that mean?

Do you all think I'm a mole in the Manchester United dressing room?

Do I look like that kind of person?